For the Love of Mauna Kea

Posted by Shelley at Sep 25, 2011 04:15 AM |
We’ve put out calls in the past months for support in the Contested Case Hearing regarding the TMT on Mauna Kea, and indeed people have been generous. For this month’s feature we’ve decided to do a compilation of some of the beautiful words, pictures, and other projects that have been inspired by Mauna a Wakea.


Aloha mai kākou,

As so many of you already know, KAHEA along with five other petitioners participated in a contested case hearing on whether or not the Thirty-Meter Telescope (TMT) should be given a construction permit to be built atop Mauna Kea. The last of the hearings are scheduled for tomorrow, Monday, September 26th at 9 AM at UHH College of Tropical Agriculture--please go if you are in the area to support the hui.

We’ve put out calls in the past months for support and indeed people have been generous. For this month’s feature we’ve decided to do a compilation of some of the beautiful words, pictures, and other projects that have been inspired by Mauna a Wākea. If you have something you'd like to share here, e-mail me at shelley(at)kahea.org, mahalo nui to everyone for all your support. Click here to give to the Mauna Kea Legal Defense Fund.

Hawane playing Poliahu i ke Kapu at the TMT Contested Case Hearings in Hilo

 

Mahalo to Hāwane Rios who wrote a beautiful song in honor of Poli`ahu called Poli`ahu i ke Kapu. Hāwane shared this mele at the contested case hearing last month. Click here to preview and purchase the song for just $.99! Hāwane has agreed to graciously donate any proceeds from this download to the Mauna Kea Legal Defense Fund! Mahalo nui iā `oe e Hāwane!

Poli'ahu I Ke Kapu - Single - Hawane

From Laulani:

`A`ole TMT Too Many Telescopes, from Laulani Teale

No More Telescopes, from Laulani Teale

Laulani even created the one below into a t-shirt. E-mail me at shelley(at)kahea.org if you'd like to place an order!

Protect Mauna Kea T-shirt design from Laulani Teale, "Protect Mauna Kea and all Sacred Places!"

A banner by Noa and Li`a, protectors of Mauna Kea for many years:

Protect the Peaks, Noa and Li`a

A photo from a family friend with the words of a chant found in the Bishop Museum. From No`eau:

Hanau ka mauna chant from Bishop Museum, picture and composition from No`eau Peralto and family

A beautiful letter to the editor from Aunty Pele Hanoa:

It is with kaumaha loa (extreme sadness) and ho'ohaka (disappointment) that I write about the Thirty Meter Telescope project. Mauna Kea is Hawaii's sacred mountain, home of Poliahu the beautiful snow goddess and Lilinoe goddess of mists. Our Native Hawaiian cultural religious beliefs and practices are still in existence and utilized. Our aumakua (personal gods and protective guardians) will be caring for our people at all times. The desecration of our sacred mountain is destroying the Hawaiian race. Hawaiians who say they are ancestors of Poliahu still support this project. They show no aloha or real connection to their culture.

Kupuna are having a difficult time understanding the viewpoint of scientists, chancellors, professors and developers who were not born and raised here. How dare they destroy historical sites, archaeological sites and burial grounds. For many years, outsiders and greed have devastated Hawaii and continue doing so. It is seldom that a situation occurs where we can have profound influence that will continue on past our short lifespan. You all want the sacred mountain nestled in a metal dome and iron structures.

The TMT is hewa (wrong), the cultural and spiritual significance of the mountain is a priceless asset to the life and culture of Hawaii's people.

Have scientists and developers not learned from the lightning strike this past June?

Are your existing telescopes still working?

This is a hoailona (sign) for you all to stop the desecration. Keep continuing your hewa and watch the effects happen before your eyes.

I would like to see the home of our sacred deities protected, because they exist here and nowhere else in the world.

As an 88-year-old kupuna I would like to thank all of you who oppose this TMT project and applaud your efforts in stopping this mess.

Aunty Pele Hanoa and her awesome letter to the editor re: TMT.

 

Winifred Pele Hanoa
Na`alehu

 

 

A slideshow put together by `Ilima, with chanting by Halau o Kekuhi off of their CD Puka Kama`ehu.
Eō E Mauna Kea:



Mahalo nui to all who allowed us to share their beautiful work!

Document Actions
Luwella K Leonardi says:
Sep 25, 2011 09:23 PM
Angel Santos spoke of our sustainability by way of mother eath and her running vitality through our minds. We just need to practice each hour during each day of our lives. Our interior of our innerself is where it starts. I wish I had his exact words for I didn't get it at that moment, however, I did years later when I listened to his political adverseries from Guam at East West Center Manoa. There was an agreement and a shift in thoughts to economic sustainable human endeavors.
Joan Lander says:
Sep 26, 2011 11:20 AM
Wonderful blog, Shelley. There may be only a few plaintiffs at the TMT contested case hearing today, but they represent thousands.
Nelson Ho says:
Nov 08, 2013 08:24 PM
Joan, the plaintiffs represent the strong and the courageous among us, and yes they do represent thousands of us. Mahalo to your and Puhipau's watershed documentation for so many years.
Liʻa says:
Oct 04, 2011 04:45 PM
Suffer
When our mom said that tmt stands for to many telescopes
i trusted her
until I testified
It ripped my bones it tore my bones into shreds
... just to make a big bad ball I wish that my bones would just be
stronger to fight It

- Liʻa Kato-Teale, age 7
lele says:
Oct 19, 2011 08:27 PM
I'm from the big island and now I reside state of Oregon. The reason why? I left there because there is so many thing that rein the beauty of our the Island which I once called paradise.
I was listen to KAPA radio and I heard this beautiful song and it brought me back to my home,Hava'i then I had to find the song and it once more it give me goose bumps. I look everywhere and found it on u tube. Her voice sounded so beautiful her song touch my heart and the memories of my childhood came to me when I play on top of Mauna kea. I will never forget where I belong and soo I will be home. Thank you sooo much for that beautiful song, I never heard such a sireen song, Keep up the hard work. Me Ke Aloha Pumehana. Malamapono. Missing Hawaii.
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